Which of the following statements is true regarding gravitational potential ener
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following statements is true regarding gravitational potential energy?
It is always positive
It can be negative
It is independent of height
It is only defined for objects at rest
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following statements is true regarding gravitational potential energy?
Correct Answer: Gravitational potential energy can be negative.
Step 1: Understand what gravitational potential energy is. It is the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field.
Step 2: Know that gravitational potential energy is usually measured relative to a reference point, like the ground or the Earth's surface.
Step 3: Realize that if an object is below this reference point, its gravitational potential energy can be considered negative.
Step 4: For example, if you dig a hole below the ground level, the energy of an object at the bottom of the hole is negative compared to the ground level.
